Method of excavating



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1927? o. E. STREHLOW METHOD OF EXCAVATING Original Filed Dec. 11. 1923 Patented (let. 4, 1927.

UNITE STA-T PATE F CE.

OSCA R E, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

2 .MET P FFKQA TY Application filed December 11, 1923, S erial l o 679,980. Renewed May 16, 1927.

This invention relates to a method of excavating. .L

Stated generally, theob ect of the invention is to provide a method of excavating Qwhich will be efieotiveand relatively inexpensive, both as regards material and labor-e. as compared w th any method of excavating of whi'ch I have any knowledge.

More specifically, objects of the invention: are:

To provide a method of excavating i i' which comparatively very few verticalsup portingmembers' or piles w ll be requlr'ed;

, 'l the lumber or other sheathing material used may be graduated to meet requirements, or where the-materlal being excavated 1s suf- In most. cases to attain the objects of to be. .completed, thereby. vcomesPondingly shortening the time required tocomplete the job as a Whole.

the

'1 invention my improved method ofexcavat- In the practice of which, shortand, there;--- iforaclieap pieces of lumber or othersheath- 1 "mg material-or even scrap lumber-hwy be} used for forming panels supporting the Walls of theex cavation between the vertical sup ports i o l in. the practice ofwhich, the th ckness of 9 ficiently firrn, may be'omitted altogether;-

"slieatliing m'aterial is immaterial, thus pro slr ii e'fe h re-Maw w which are cheapest;

*or bracing, where used;

.95, which wuaw Vidal I I I reek;

,- We se which the: actual, excavation will be of minigaunt si ze,"the'reby reducing the quantity of excavation, backfill and the length of shores i To orovide a method of excavating a minimum of shoring or cross-brao m mnmll be required, thereiifofidixig ample and. unobstructed yvor ior periorrning other work, such r as operatinglarge sectional forms for conret construction, or piledrivers or power which lessen the time and expense required for doing the yvorkpand To provide a method of excavatlng 1n vvhih, for the Inos'iipartj, the panel portions of the bulk heads or retaining walls which clo se the spaces between adjacent vertical supportiipglmerriber's35x1piles, andwhich. sup;

I StIiIiCfi Q CT by hand 21 s Work 'progresses, quickly and vvith unskilled labor, and rn'ay follow thus perlnitting other 1 xgiflyfatiblf closely, ork 'which iollows to be started anl car- In the practice'ofwhicli, thewidth of the "To provide a method of excavating ill .30

slfi'i'el within the excavation, the use ofing consists in driving piles at spaced inter- Lvals 1with the sides thereof proximate, the .line otexcavation.adjacent to but outside of ;said proposed excavation, said piles having flanges on thei1 adjacent faces'l'which I pro ect ,.1nto the spacessbetween them, excavating along thefacesofsaid p1lesprox1- mate to the excavationzand,insertingmembers in position between'adj acent' piles from within 'the excavation through thelspaces between adjacentpiles as. excavation, progres ses, with their ends ."interlockedv behind flanges'onadjacent piles wherenecess'ary on account of the loose. character of. the soil,

thus formingQaretaining wall which ;Will

.prevent, ,caving..in of the wall. of the excavation, Y

Thexvertical. supporting members on piles are driven before excavating operations are begun, while the fsheatliingeimembers' are in- :serted into position'between' adjacent .i 'piles,

where necessary, as excavation progresses usually panel by panel andpiece by. piece.

In the practice of my improvedfmethod,

the vertical supportii g iniembers are usually spaced from 3 to .12 feet between centerstight joints, as tongues and grooves, shiplap or the like and, on theother hanrhivhere the soil is sufliciently firm, the sheathing may 5 be 'orn1tted'entirely. In many cases,.it.may happen that on the same job,: different strata of soil W111 be encountered at difi'erentilocatlops and: difi'ere it depths, -Which yvi1l require clifierent treatn'ientr That is to say, some soils may only require the uise:of"111m bet the contacting edges of wvhich are plain, others Inay IQCLLliIIQ' tight joints; and for still others the sheathlng may be omitted altogether.

Ely irnproved rnethocl of exqavatir xg also compx-xses the various other steps ancxxrperamaterial. forming the upper panel sections 3 may be removed and salvaged, said hori- Zontal panel sections being removed by hand, so far as possible, and the supporting members 1 being pulled out by a suitable rig.

My invention contemplates embodying the bulkhead or retaining wall as a part of the finished structure, if desired.

By front used herein to designate faces of the bulkhead or retaining Wall and the parts thereof, I mean the faces towards the excavation.

I claim:

1. The method of excavating which consists in driving piles to a depth beyond the full depth of the proposed excavation at spaced intervals before excavating operations are begun with the sides thereof proximate the line of excavation adjacent to but outside of said proposed excavation, said piles having flanges on their adjacent faces which project into the spaces between said piles, excavating along the faces of said piles proximate to the excavation, and inserting sheathing members in position between adjacent piles from within the excavation through the spaces between adjacent piles as excavation progresses with their ends interlocked behind flanges on adjacent piles where necessary on account of the loose character of the soil, thus forming a retaining wall which will prevent caving in of the Wall of the excavation V j 2. The method of excavating asspecified in claim 1, which also includes as a step backfilling behind said sheathing members;

3. The method of excavating which consists in driving piles beyond the contemplated depth of excavation atspaced intervals before excavatin o erations are be im D with the sides thereof proximate the line of excavation adjacent to, but outside of said proposed excavation, said piles having flanges on their adj acent faces which project into the spaces between said piles, excavating along the faces of said piles proximate to the line of excavation, and inserting sheathing members in position between adjacent piles from within the excavation through the spaces between adjacent. piles as excavation progresses with their ends interlocked behind flangesonadj acent piles where necessary on account of the loose character of the soil, thus forming a retaining wall which will prevent caving in of the wall of the excavation. I

In witness that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aifix my signature this 7th day of December, A. 111923;

a OSCAR E. STREHLOW.

Oct.- 1927.

T. w. TIMPSON DI SPLAY TABLE Filed Nov, 5, 1926 InvaNlOR A'r-roaNEK 

